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Quakers
break 30 year streak
Berter
makes winning shot
|Box
Score|
November
22, 2005
Josh Rohrbacher |
CLEVELAND Sophomore forward Nick Berterıs
steal and layup proved to be the difference as Wilmington
College defeated Case Western Reserve University, 66-65, in
a battle of early-season unbeatens Tuesday. The win gives
Wilmington its first 3-0 season start in the contemporary
era dating back to the 1975-76 season in which complete
records and statistics were archived.
"The biggest thing is Iım very pleased with
our kids and how hard theyıre working," WC head coach Scott
Reule said. "I donıt even look at the records; itıs not something
that bothers me. Iım more concerned with us taking care of
our business and working hard every day and getting better."
The Spartans (2-1) bolted to an early 6-0 lead.
After a Wilmington timeout the Quakers got untracked with
three-pointers from Berter (Cincinnati/Reading) and freshman
Justin Gaines (Cincinnati/Colerain), while senior Eric Stirling
(Brooklyn, N.Y./LaSalle Academy) did the work on the blocks.
Stirlingıs layup gave WC its first lead, 19-17, at 8:36.
Case, behind senior guard Funso Lafeıs 17 points,
reclaimed and maintained the lead for the balance of the half,
until sophomore guard Zach Broermann (Brookville, Ind./Franklin
County) beat the buzzer to put WC on top, 39-37.
Wilmingtonıs lead grew to 47-39 early in the
second half, but a four-point play, aided by a technical foul
against the Wilmington bench, allowed the Spartans to close
the gap to one at 13:34. On its next possession, Case took
the lead on a Lafe jumper.
Unflapped by adversity, the Quakers regrouped.
Seniors Josh Rohrbacher (Columbus/Beechcroft) and Brett Carpenter
(Marshalville/Smithville) hit jumpers, Stirling connected
inside and Gaines and Broermann buried treys as WC took a
61-56 lead.
"Those are our five starters. I canıt say enough
about those guys," Reule said. "Weıre playing a lot of guys
right now, so nobodyıs getting a bunch of minutes. We went
to those guys with the game on the line tonight, and they
responded. Then our bench comes in and responds; itıs a good
mix."
Case bounced back with eight unanswered points,
capped by Mason Conradıs layup that gave the Spartans a 65-64
lead with 1:57 to play. Less than a minute later, Berter collected
the Quakersı 13th steal of the game and cashed in at the other
end.
Lafe, who led all scorers with 23 points, had
a chance to win the game outright or send it to overtime,
but missed two free throws with three seconds to play.
Gaines led the Quakers with 15 points and hit
three of four three-pointers. Stirling scored 14 points and
collected 10 rebounds, Broermann scored 11 and had four steals.
Berter scored eight for the Quakers, while Rohrbacher and
Carpenter added six each.
The Quakers will play their home opener against
Thomas More 6 p.m. Nov. 30.
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